a Small Bowl of Cereal Has a Big Impact

I have to admit it, before this pregnancy, I never gave much thought to my cereal intake. I kept my pantry stocked with cereal flavors my children requested (within reason, we save the really sweet stuff for special treats on vacation), and on the rare mornings I took the time to eat breakfast, I reached for one of their boxes to satisfy a breakfast cereal craving. With the exception of the type of cereals that radically change the color of the milk in the bowl, it was hard to go wrong.

But this pregnancy changed my relationship with cereal, in a way that will impact my life long after I give birth. The nausea of first trimester made skipping breakfast impossible. I simply could not make it through the morning on an empty stomach. A nice bowl of cereal with ice cold milk filled my stomach and kept me fueled for the day. I also found that when the nausea crept back in at various times of the day, dry cereal was a fantastic way to have it retreat again.

I began giving the cereals in my pantry more consideration, and I realized what an important source of daily nutrients the right cereal can be. While the Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies and Frosted Mini Wheats my kids adore have many of the vitamins and nutrients their growing bodies need, I started looking for a cereal that was better designed for a woman's needs, one that packed more fiber for example.

Increasing your fiber intake by having a bowl of cereal that has at least five grams of fiber is such an easy to positively impact your health. The Mayo Clinic points out that having a high fiber diet not only
promotes bowel health and regularity, but it can also lower blood cholesterol levels and help you lose weight. It's amazing that a quick bowl of cereal in the morning can make such a difference.

I recently received two different boxes of Kelloggs FiberPlus Antioxidants cereals to try which include
high fiber content and are rich in antioxidant vitamins C & E and was thrilled to find that they not only meet my goal of finding a more nutritious cereal, but are also delicious to boot. Kelloggs is also providing me with a stipend as compensation for sharing my thoughts with you on these cereals.

My favorite was the FiberPlus Cinnamon Oat Crunch in terms of taste and texture. It was great as an afternoon snack and with some cold milk for breakfast. I like a cereal that remains crisp even if you get distracted some early morning kiddie crankiness. One bowl has 9g of fiber which is 35% of your daily recommended fiber. I loved to combine the crunchy cinnamon cereal with slices of fresh bananas. The flavors paired beautifully and gave me an added potassium and fiber boost.

The FiberPlus Yogurt Berry Crunch was the second flavor I received, and I liked it less because I prefer to turn to fresh fruit instead of packaged fruit in my cereals. That said, the fiber content of this flavor was a little higher: 10g of fiber, so if you're a fan of fruity cereals, you should definitely try this flavor. It might be a fun cereal to try in a yogurt parfait with vanilla yogurt and sliced strawberries.

So take a look at the cereals in your pantry, especially the nutrition panel. You might be surprised by the goodness contained there, or at least inspired to make an easy change that will really impact your family's breakfast and snacking habits.

Fiber Boosting Yogurt Parfait
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Ingredients:
4 strawberries
1/2 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup of Fiberplus Yogurt Berry Crunch (or other crunchy cereal of your choice)

1. In a pretty, clear glass or bowl, layer the different ingredients, beginning with the yogurt and finishing with the strawberries.
2. Serve immediately and enjoy.